


What Would Joey Do?

by sweetcarolanne



Category: Rock 'n' Roll Highschool (1979)
Genre: Bands, Declarations Of Love, Established Relationship, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Rock Stars, Rock and Roll, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-20 22:49:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14903633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetcarolanne/pseuds/sweetcarolanne
Summary: One phone call almost ruined Riff Randell's day, but another one made everything much better...





	What Would Joey Do?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Missy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/gifts).



> Dear Missy - I was so thrilled someone nominated this fandom as this is one of my fave movies ever! I really enjoyed writing this for you and I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I am making no money from this story and don't own the characters.
> 
> Many thanks to my beta who wishes to remain anonymous.

“You did what? You have got to be kidding me!”

This was the last thing any band’s manager wanted to hear.

Riff sat back in her chair, rocking a little as she tried to slow and deepen her breathing while counting to ten inside her head. _One-two-three-four_ was as far as she got, and it was all she could do to stop herself laughing out loud, despite the bad news, as she thought how Dee Dee would have found that hilarious. Joey would have given Riff one of his shy, fleeting smiles and made some dry quip while Johnny rolled his eyes.

How she missed those guys… _only Marky left now_ , she thought, and it took a massive effort for her not to sigh out loud. For a moment she wondered if it was worthwhile asking Mark to be the band’s new drummer, but he already had plenty to do and was about to go touring with his own new group. And although he was a great guy, Marky Ramone probably wouldn’t want to waste his time with a fledgling rock band, even if they were super-talented and being managed by an old friend.

She clutched the phone with tightening fingers and whitened knuckles, struggling to stay calm and hoping against hope that the man on the other end of the line would take back what he had just said and reassure her that he was, in fact, kidding her.

“I wish I was joking, Riff,” Eddie said, and although Riff couldn’t see him, she knew what kind of expression was bound to be on his face at that very moment. She had seen it at innumerable band practices, rehearsals, sound checks and meetings, a weary exasperation combined with worry whenever Rex turned up drunk or started some pointless argument about how he wasn’t being allowed to shine enough or how all the songs Eddie and Darlene wrote sucked and were “too pop” and why didn’t they do some Led Zeppelin covers until they could come up with some better material… 

“Today was the absolute last straw, though. I’ll spare you the gory details, but let’s just say that nobody should ever have to put up with the kind of things Rex said to Darlene about her lyrics. Either he had to be fired, or Darlene was going to quit, so when the band took a vote, you know how it had to go… I know the timing sucks, and I’m sorry.”

Eddie’s voice trailed off, and despite her frustration, Riff had to admit that the band had made the right decision. Rex had never really been a good fit, and the lead guitarist/bandleader could hardly be expected to stand by and let his wife, the lead singer and co-founder of One Man Hide and Seek, leave the group.

“Yeah, I see what you mean,” Riff said at last, after pausing to let the shock dissipate and the disappointment sink in, “Have you started looking for a new drummer yet?”

“We started right away – we’ve asked all our friends to help us look, and put ads everywhere we can think of,” Eddie replied. “But it’s not likely we’ll find someone in time for the first few dates of the tour. None of the drummers we already know are available, and who knows when someone will answer the ads? And then they’re gonna need time to learn the songs and everything. I even suggested using a drum machine, but you can imagine what Darlene and Sonny said about that. At least some of the gigs will have to be cancelled. I’m so sorry, Riff… I wish this didn’t have to happen right now.”

After Eddie hung up, Riff put the phone down and sat back in her chair, aiming for deep breathing again and trying to let go of the worry that was beginning to gnaw at her mind.

“What would Joey do?” she whispered, and cast her thoughts back to when her old friends the Ramones had been in the same boat after Richie, Marky’s replacement, had suddenly left them in the lurch. Unlike the Ramones, however, One Man Hide and Seek didn’t have a Clem Burke to temporarily step in and neither did they have a Marky to make an eventual and triumphant return.

Riff decided that her mood could use a lift, and picked up the phone again, waiting until she heard her girlfriend’s voice.

“Hey, babe,” she said, her smile genuine even if her cheerful tone sounded a little fake. 

“Whenever you say “hey, babe,” like that, something’s always up. Come on, Riff – spill,” Kate said, and Riff couldn’t help laughing.

“Wow, Kate – you’re uncanny,” Riff chuckled, and then it was Kate’s turn to burst out laughing.

“Nope, just really good at figuring you out. Like when you first played that song you’d written for the Ramones in gym class… I knew that “I just wanna get some chicks” lyric meant more than just it being meant for Joey to sing.”

“You’ve got me there,” Riff admitted, and wished that Kate was in the room with her so that she could give her a huge kiss. “If I couldn’t have Joey, and in the end I couldn’t, I decided I didn’t want guys at all.”

“Bullshit. I was the one for you all along, but we both were too young and ignorant to know it back then,” Kate retorted, and Riff knew she was right again. After several boyfriends, one husband and three kids for Kate, and numerous girlfriends and an almost-wife for Riff, the two high-school best friends had finally found the love they’d always longed for (but hadn’t realized about for the longest time) with each other.

“Anyway, Riff, stop trying to change the subject. What’s going on?”

“Technically, you’re the one who’s going off on tangents, but I’ll tell you anyway,” Riff said, and rocked a little in her chair as she had earlier, the tension in her body lessening a little with the soothing presence of Kate’s voice. “Eddie just called, and he said the band took a vote to kick Rex out. Right before the fucking tour and all. I know they had to do it – the guy’s a total asshole – but the timing’s the worst!”

“Jeez, that does suck,” Kate said after a moment’s silence. “Have they managed to find anyone else yet?”

“Nope – all the drummers they know are busy already and even though they’ve advertised, there’s no time to teach somebody completely new all of the songs,” Riff replied, and this time it was impossible to keep the despondency out of her tone. “Looks like we’re gonna have to cancel a whole bunch of gigs, if not the whole damned tour. Doesn’t bode well for the future, does it?”

“It doesn’t have to be like that. There’s always Ramona,” Kate pointed out, and Riff bit back her next complaint at once.

“Ramona?”

“Yeah, you know my daughter’s name – you picked it, after all,” Kate replied. “She’s a huge fan of One Man Hide and Seek, she knows all their songs and she has her own drum kit.”

“Isn’t she a little young, though?”

“She’s twenty-two – not that much younger than the rest of the band. Go on, admit it – she’s perfect, and I’ve saved your ass. Yet again.”

“Maybe,” Riff replied, trying to sound only half convinced and glad that Kate was unable to see the huge grin that was threatening to spread across her face. “All right – you go ask Ramona and I’ll call Eddie and see what he thinks.”

Her whole body felt more relaxed then, and at last she could breathe easier. “Have I told you lately that I love you, Kate?”

“Not as often as you should, but I love you too, weirdo. Now get off the phone and start getting the band back together!”

 _That’s what Joey would have done_ , Riff thought as she hung up from Kate and began to dial Eddie’s number. _Let a little love in and get on with what he had to do_ …


End file.
